Friday, February 22, 2013

Up and Coming: Also Known As by Robin Benway

There
is an entire school of thought that says fun, light reads are for
summer only. Having spent yesterday morning curled up with a mug of hot
tea while it snow-rained and Robin Benway’s latest--Also Known As--I
feel the time has come for me to tell you that this school of thought
is dumb. Some winter days just need something frothy to accompany your
hot chocolate (in addition to marshmallows). Frothy but not overly
sweet, light but still smart, and plain and simple fun. Also Known Asis
all of the above. It is a book that demands the suspension of belief in
many cases, but isn’t that the whole fun of reading anyway?Maggie
Silver is a world-class, teenage safe cracker. Luckily, she comes from a
family of spies and has the opportunity to put this skill to use in her
parent’s cases around the world. It’s only when The Collective brings
them back to New York City and requires Maggie to enroll in high school
that she finally has a case of her own. And it’s a case that needs to be
solved quickly or she risks the safety of her family and everyone in
her life that she cares for. The thing is the number of people she cares
for starts to grow once she has to act like a normal teenager for the
first time in her life. And that, of course, is when things get really
complicated.These
fun reading romps are often only as strong as the supporting cast,
which in this case is rocking near superhuman muscles. Maggies’s first
friend is Roux, the social outcast and former mean girl with a
firecracker personality. And then there is Jesse Oliver. Any boy that is
known by both his first and last name and knows how to plan a first
date is total fictional boyfriend material. Maggie’s parents leave no
question as to where their daughter got her sense of humor, and the
family friend Angelo... well, I’m still figuring out how to make him a
part of my family. And not just because it’s handy to have a gifted
forger a phone call away.I’ve
seen this book recommended to fans ofAlly Carter and Veronica Mars,
and I heartily second those thoughts. But really, I think this is for
anyone who likes year-round summer reading, laughing, or romance, all
with a side of espionage tips.

No comments:

Connect With Us

Search Library Catalog:

TATAL Rules

This is a blog for middle and high school students. By participating in this blog you are agreeing that: *You will respect everyone's right to an opinion. *You will use appropriate language. *You will not post any personal information.